Amarillo library explores migration with new traveling exhibit, 'World on the Move'

Brianna Maestas, Amarillo Globe-News
·4 min read

Amarillo Public Library (APL) is hosting a World on the Move Multi-Cultural Fair on Saturday, May 13 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at their Downtown library.

The event will be a celebration of cultures represented in Amarillo through music, art, cuisine and craft and will be centered around their new exhibit, "World on the Move," discussing human migration, available for viewing on the first floor of the downtown location now until June 16.

According to APL, they are one of only 15 libraries in the United States offered to host the traveling exhibition. "World on the Move" involves interactive learning of 250,000 years of human migration. The exhibit was developed by the American Anthropological Association and the Smithsonian’s Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.

The downtown location of the Amarillo Public Library explores migration with a new limited traveling exhibit, "World on the Move," which is free and open to the public. The exhibit is available for viewing now until June 16.
The downtown location of the Amarillo Public Library explores migration with a new limited traveling exhibit, "World on the Move," which is free and open to the public. The exhibit is available for viewing now until June 16.
The downtown location of the Amarillo Public Library explores migration with a new limited traveling exhibit, "World on the Move," which is free and open to the public. The exhibit is available for viewing now until June 16.
The downtown location of the Amarillo Public Library explores migration with a new limited traveling exhibit, "World on the Move," which is free and open to the public. The exhibit is available for viewing now until June 16.

Director of Library Services Amanda Barrera said in a news release: "being chosen to host the exhibition is a tribute to the work of the Amarillo Public Library team. Application for 'World on the Move' was a competitive, peer-reviewed process, with only 15 libraries in the country earning the chance to host, so our selection is indeed an honor. APL has been supporting Amarillo’s immigrant and refugee communities for more than a decade through English as a Second Language and Citizenship classes, and we are excited to create an opportunity for Amarillo to learn more about issues surrounding migration.”

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By presenting case studies from across human history and an array of cultures, "World on the Move" invites visitors to recognize that migration is a complex and a diverse, shared human experience. The exhibition aims to expand the public conversation on the topic of migration and displacement. It tackles questions such as: Why do people move? Where do we come from? How does migration change us? How do we change the places we come to? and more.

"The exhibit is on the first floor; it is 1,000 square feet. It is geared to middle and high schoolers, but we hope that people will bring their entire families to see it, because it gives so many interactive experiences for people," APL Youth Services Coordinator Melody Boren said.

Some interactive activities that the exhibition includes are a conversation spinner, which includes a series of questions that can be spun to randomly select conversational questions; a talk back board, where visitors can write their answers to the questions about their origin; and more.

The downtown location of the Amarillo Public Library explores migration with an interactive traveling exhibit, "World on the Move," which is free and open to the public. The exhibit is available for viewing now until June 16.
The downtown location of the Amarillo Public Library explores migration with an interactive traveling exhibit, "World on the Move," which is free and open to the public. The exhibit is available for viewing now until June 16.
The downtown location of the Amarillo Public Library explores migration with a new interactive traveling exhibit, "World on the Move," which is free and open to the public. The exhibit is available for viewing now until June 16.
The downtown location of the Amarillo Public Library explores migration with a new interactive traveling exhibit, "World on the Move," which is free and open to the public. The exhibit is available for viewing now until June 16.

"This exhibit uses cultural evidence, archeological evidence, biological evidence, to show the history of migration, as well as the future on where we are going," Boren said.

"Amarillo itself is a true crossroads," Boren added. "We are located on the intersection of two national highways, and the industries here in this area created a resettlement center for people coming to the country and looking to make a better, safer life for themselves and their family. We are a perfect center for this exhibition, and I believe that is one reason we got it."

As part of the exhibition, Amarillo Public Library received a stipend to present programming related to the topicof migration. Some upcoming programs for adults and teens include Adult Crafting Hour, Crafty Group, Yoga in the Library, Dance Aerobics, Spring Planting and much more. Information in these events and more like this can be viewed online at APL's calendar, available at https://www.amarillolibrary.org/about-us/calendar-of-events .

"World on the Move" admission is free and open to the public, available during regular library hours, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 2 to 6 p.m. on Sundays.

The downtown location of the Amarillo Public Library explores migration with a new exhibit, "World on the Move," which is free and open to the public. The traveling exhibit is available for viewing now until June 16.
The downtown location of the Amarillo Public Library explores migration with a new exhibit, "World on the Move," which is free and open to the public. The traveling exhibit is available for viewing now until June 16.
The downtown location of the Amarillo Public Library explores migration with a new limited traveling exhibit, "World on the Move," which is free and open to the public. The exhibit is available for viewing now until June 16.
The downtown location of the Amarillo Public Library explores migration with a new limited traveling exhibit, "World on the Move," which is free and open to the public. The exhibit is available for viewing now until June 16.

On June 3, the downtown library will host their World on the Move Resource Fair, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. During the event, participating service organizations will be available to answer questions about resources available to Amarillo immigrant and refugee populations.

Following the fair, the downtown library will also host a First Peoples Interactive Map in relation to the exhibit. The interactive map will utilize resources from the PBS documentary series, "How Homo sapiens Populated the Earth: Interactive Map," highlighting recent dramatic advancements of early human history, while drawing together video clips and images from the documentary, including quizzes and explanations of the latest scientific discoveries. The interactive learning event will be held June 15 at 7 p.m.

For more information about "World on the Move" or APL, visit them online at https://www.amarillolibrary.org/ .

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Study migration with Amarillo library exhibit "World on the Move"